Careful Now, Granger
by elephantsneverforget
Summary: "Careful now, Granger, this reaction you're showing me seems to tell me that you want more."
1. Chapter 1

Hermione Granger walked into the familiar doors that led to her favorite place in the world – the library. Normally, she preferred to study and read her books alone but today, she was in a rather wonderful mood. So instead of sulking away in a corner and shutting the world out, she preferred to sit with Ginny Weasley, Lavander Brown and the Patil twins, Padma and Parvati. It seemed odd to find this bunch in the library but seeing as Professor Snape was in a rather foul mood more so the past couple of weeks, he decided to give everyone 3-feet long essays due in 2 days.

She walked over to the group of girls and they waved at her and pulled out a chair for her to sit on. This wasn't her usual crowd but seeing as Harry and Ron opted to zoom off into the air to try out Harry's new broomstick and scarcely care about Potions, they became her company. She didn't mind. It was actually nice to not have to endure rowdy and idiotic behavior from the two.

"Hey Hermione!" Ginny Weasley said as Hermione sat down and dropped her tower of books.

"Hello girls, any luck with the Potions essays?"

Lavander groaned and whined, "None at all. I'm stuck and this only my tenth sentence. I am doomed to fail!"

Parvati Patil who was furiously writing on her parchment sighed and said, "I am beat. Maybe we should take a break or at least not think about Potions for the next 15 minutes or so."

Padma Patil threw her quill away and patted her twin on the back, "That's the best idea you've had in a while."

And so while Hermione pored over her essay, the girls decided to exchange gossip. Apparently, someone told someone who was told by someone that one of the Slytherin sixth years had a nose job and it was botched or something. Hermione rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all but couldn't help but giggle. These really were less scary and dangerous times now that crazy old Voldemort was six feet under.

She was way past 3-feet of her essay when the girls switched their conversation to Hogwarts' boys. This time, the rumors were about a hot Ravenclaw boy who apparently, was looking to find a new girlfriend since his last one cheated on him for a younger boy. They all gushed over him and giggled. This conversation led to them talking about so many other boys. Hermione smiled to herself. _They definitely went way over their 15-minute break!_

"Hey! I have an idea! Let's all make a list of the boys who we would definitely snog senseless if given a chance!" Lavander squealed and the girls all grabbed a fresh piece of parchment and wrote down all the boys they wanted.

"I would DEFINITELY snog and even shag Draco Malfoy." Parvati Patil sighed adoringly.

"Oh eeew!" Ginny scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"What? He's a fine specimen of a man!" Padma giggled.

"Yeah, but he's a git, right 'Mione?"

Hermione did not look up from her parchment, "Uh, yeah, I guess so."

"Oh my god!" Lavander squealed for the tenth time that hour, "I would so want to marry him! I can imagine our wedding invitations. They read, 'Lavander Rose Brown and Draco… Draco…' What is Draco's middle name?"

Silence.

"You know, I have NO idea." Padma said. "I don't even know his middle initial."

Hermione finally spoke up, "It's probably S."

They all looked at her, "Really? What does it stand for?"

"Sodding." Hermione giggled, "Draco Sodding Malfoy." She was laughing now. Ginny joined in.

"It could be B, too!" Ginny supplied, "Draco Bloody Malfoy!" Hermione laughed louder this time.

Parvati joined in, "Or! It could be F! Draco Ferret Malfoy!" This time they all laughed as they remembered that hilarious memory from fourth year.

"Oh you are so bad!" Padma slapped her sister's arm.

"You know," Lavander said, "if it were up to me, he'd be Draco Hot Lips Malfoy."

Ginny and Hermione groaned in disgust while the twins giggled in agreement.

"That is just disgusting, Lavander! Draco Malfoy is so not attractive! Right, Gin?" Hermione wrinkled her face in disgust.

"Well you know, 'Mione, I wouldn't go so far as to call him unattractive I mean, he does have quite the charm." Ginny shyly said.

Hermione's look was incredulous. "Not you too, Gin!" She shook her head in disbelief. "Please! He is not all that!"

"Oh but rumor has it that when he kisses you, your mind gets blown away and you're incoherent and numb after. He's THAT good!" Lavander giggled again.

"I heard he kissed this girl from Hufflepuff and she fainted right after." Parvati shared.

"I heard he just whispered in this girl's ear and she fainted!" Padma added.

"I heard he's wild in the sack!" Ginny laughed and all four girls were giddy with excitement.

Hermione groaned, "Well I heard he's an ugly, spoiled, selfish ferret. " The girls chose to ignore her.

"I think his name is Draco Handsome Malfoy." Parvati batted her eyelashes.

"I think, it's Draco Perfect Malfoy." Lavander sighed.

Hermione decided to put an end to this. She looked at all four of them on her right and left side and said, "Oh guys! I have a good one! Okay, are you ready for what I just thought of? Hold on to your hats 'cause this is a good one!"

Nobody responded. They all seemed to be fixated on something above Hermione's head. Hermione just shrugged it off and continued, "Okay, I think his whole name is Draco L. Malfoy. Quick! Ask me what L means!"

Still no reply. Still staring over her head.

She continued, "La. It's La! Draco La Malfoy!" She laughed. "Get it? Draco La? Dracula?"

Stunned silence.

"Oh come on guys! It wasn't THAT bad! I thought it was rather funny! Didn't you? Draco La!" She almost cried this time from laughing too hard.

"Glad to see I amuse you. Granger." An all-too-familiar drawl was heard from behind her.

_Oh bloody hell._ Hermione froze. _Draco Malfoy was standing behind her all along? Now that explains their stunned faces and lack of response. Hell. What the hell._ She swallowed and turned to him.

"Spying on us, Malfoy? Did you want anything?"

He smirked. "Nothing, really. It was just that I was sitting over there—" he pointed to a table near them that was concealed by a trolley of books – "and I couldn't help but overhear my name being said over and over and over. Naturally, as any normal human would do, I came to see what was up. I didn't think I would stumble upon you and your friends making fun of my name and me." He was shooting daggers at her now.

She scoffed, "Oh please, Malfoy. You've insulted me most of my life and have called me foul names. This doesn't even make us even! Besides, portions of what we said, well actually, just the ones Ginny and I said, were true."

"That I am Draco Sodding Malfoy and Draco Bloody Malfoy?"

"Yes, that's right." She flashed him an innocent smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Please, if any of those were true, it would be the Draco Perfect Malfoy, Draco Handsome Malfoy, oh! And the best one, Draco Hot Lips Malfoy!" While he said this, he turned to look at the other girls and winked at them. They all giggled and blushed furiously.

Hermione scoffed even louder. "Please. This is just making me sick."

Draco shifted his glance at her again and smirked, "Don't you hear the rumors about the way I kiss, Granger?"

"If I did, I wouldn't even believe them. Besides, rumors are what they are. RUMORS. They don't prove things to be true, especially rumors circulated by hormonally-driven teenage girls from Hogwarts. So no, I don't believe the rumors because there are no proofs. Now please Malfoy, go away, you are ruining my day with that stupid smirk."

She turned around and started to read again. When her friends all pouted, she knew he had walked away again. It was rather weird that Draco Malfoy didn't put up a fight. Normally, he wouldn't back down. He'd fight her until everything turned out nasty. She shrugged. _Oh well, maybe I finally put that git in his place._ She smiled and hummed happily while finishing her essay.

A few minutes later, Padma gasped. Now, she noticed all four girls looking above her head again, stunned.

"What?" Hermione asked. Someone tapped Hermione on the shoulder. She turned around to find Draco Malfoy with a playful smile on his face.

"Geez, what now, Malfoy? Finally came up with a witty retort? Took you long enough."

"Granger, I have thought over those last few words you told me and I have decided you were right."

Hermione's eyes widened. "I beg your pardon, are you actually admitting defeat?"

He chuckled, "Heck no, Granger. Do you think I'm loony? No, I was merely saying that you had a point."

"Exactly which part of what I said?"

"The one where you said that they were all rumors and there were no proofs."

She nodded. "Okay. Well, congratulations, Malfoy! You actually grew a brain!" She turned around again and attempted to finish her work.

"I'm not yet done, Granger." He turned her around.

"What else is there, Malfoy?" she huffed impatiently.

"I simply came over here to defend my honor." He was smirking again now.

She wrinkled her forehead, confused. "By that you mean exactly what?"

Instead of answering her, he merely bent over and took her lips into his. All four girls on the table gasped. He kissed her slowly, waiting for her to shove him off. She was too surprised to register what was happening that she somewhat opened her mouth in shock. He took this as a sign to kiss her deeper and did exactly that. He kissed her a little bit longer, licked her lips and played with her tongue. She eventually started to respond. She had never felt anyone kiss like this. It seemed surreal. She gave out a low moan and he growled, this time running his hands through her hair.

After what seemed like forever, they pulled away gasping for breath. He was smirking and she was just stunned silent. He chuckled.

"Well, Granger, did we enjoy that?"

Hermione was still too shocked to respond. _Draco Malfoy bloody kissed me. And I bloody liked, no, loved it._

He chuckled again and placed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Can't deny that I didn't enjoy that. You're a hell of a kisser, Granger, who knew?"

She was more shocked now. _Draco Malfoy kissed me. And he enjoyed it._ She still remained silent.

He cocked an eyebrow, "I guess this proves the rumors are right, yeah? I do blow people's minds out when I kiss them." He straightened himself and gave her a playful wink. "I guess Draco Hot Lips Malfoy isn't off the table, yeah?"

She was gaping and staring at him. "Careful now, Granger, this reaction you're showing me seems to tell me that you want more." He licked his lips playfully and laughed.

All five girls were looking up at him, stunned, which made him chuckle more. He turned and walked away. After a couple of steps he turned back around and said, "It's Lucius, by the way. Draco Lucius Malfoy."

**I own nothing but love everything about Harry Potter.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy was not happy. Not happy at all. As a Slytherin prefect, one of his tasks was to do rounds at night with another prefect to ensure the safety of the castle and to ensure that no student was out of beds after curfew. Normally, he enjoyed such a task because it entailed power but tonight was most likely the coldest night of that year's winter and he was freezing himself off waiting outside the Great Hall for his pair. He was dressed in the thickest of coats, a fuzzy scarf, gloves and a hat. Yes, it was THAT cold that Draco Malfoy himself willingly placed a hat to cover his perfect locks. He was cold, yes he was, and starting to grow very impatient.

Hermione Granger was running. She was running as fast as her uncoordinated legs could carry her. She was late, and oh, how she hated being late. She was probably flying now and thanking Merlin that she cast a warming spell on her so that the cold wasn't so unbearable even with her speed. She was nearing the doors of the Great Hall when she found her pair shivering and extremely bundled up waiting, with his back on her. She practically flew down the last few steps and when she neared him, he turned around and crashed right into him.

"Well well! Caught myself a Granger!" Draco Malfoy smirked as Hermione righted herself.

"What are YOU doing here?" she eyed suspiciously. "I'm supposed to be doing rounds with Susan Bones and I think I'm stating the obvious when I say you're NOT Susan Bones."

"I bloody well am not Susan Bones! With looks like these, no one can mistake who I am." He stated proudly, although ending his statement with a shiver as his teeth had started to chatter from the cold.

Hermione took a second to look at him and found herself greatly amused. "I think I have, in front of me, a very cold penguin from the north."

"A what?" he asked, teeth still chattering.

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes. "Why are you so cold?"

"Gee Granger! I dunno! Maybe because I've been waiting for you for forever?"

"Malfoy, you've only been here for 10 minutes. Suck it up."

He stared at her in disbelief. "Like hell Granger, Malfoys never wait for anyone!"

"Oh stop making yourself so important, cast a damn warming spell on yourself and let's just go get this over with." She sighed, turning around and starting to walk.

"Aww shit." Draco mumbled, "I completely forgot about that spell." He quickly cast it on himself, put his wand back inside his pocket and caught up with Hermione.

They were silent for a while – Hermione wanting to be thorough in her rounds and Draco thinking of more ways to torment her.

"Why were you late?" Draco asked, finally.

"Why are you the one who's here tonight?" She asked, returning his question with a question.

"Why have you been avoiding me for a month?"

"Why do you care if I have?"

"Why are you answering my questions with questions?"

"Why are YOU answering my questions with questions?" She said giving him her best smirk.

Draco shuddered. "Eh! Granger! Have you been practicing my smirks?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy, you don't own the act of smirking."

"Fine. Answer my questions, then."

"Answer mine."

"Which one?"

"Which one, too?"

"You're confusing me, Granger."

She laughed, "You're just easily confused, Malfoy."

"Am not."

"Am too."

"Huh."

"What?"

"I think," Draco said with a smile spreading along his face, "I will answer YOUR questions for you, if you don't want to answer them yourself."

"Okay." Hermione said furrowing her brow. "Go take a stab at it then, oh genius one."

"You've been avoiding me for a month because of that kiss in the library. You can't get me out of your head because I blew your mind out with those few minutes when our lips touched that I got to have a taste of the oh-so-perfect – sense my sarcasm here, Granger – and so untainted Hermione Granger." He proceeded to chuckle in amusement. "And I therefore conclude that you were late because you made yourself look extra good tonight because you secretly knew I would be paired with you! Hah! You're secretly hoping I kiss you again!"

Hermione scoffed. "That is the most preposterous thing I have EVER heard, Malfoy! There is NO truth whatsoever to that."

"Oh really?" Draco asked, teasingly, still reveling in his thoughts.

"Yes, really!"

"Liar."

"I would think YOU are the liar here, Malfoy, creating such heinous stories!" She was starting to get extremely irked. "Can't believe you're so full of yourself!"

"So Granger, how do you feel being in such close proximity as I am?" He continued to tease as he reached for her arm, "If I touch you, will you shiver and feel tingly in special places."

"UGH!" Hermione screamed, "You disgust me, Malfoy!"

"Yet adore me just the same."

"You know what, let me play the same game!" She said, extremely irked now. "Let's see, you've been noticing that YES I have been avoiding you since the library disaster – yes it was a disaster – because YOU enjoyed that kiss! You've been thinking about me nonstop for the past four weeks – I've noticed you giving me looks everywhere we are – and all YOU want is to be with me and to get to kiss me again. And the reason why you're here and switched with Susan is because YOU wanted to be in close proximity with me. Hah! How does it feel when I touch you, Malfoy?" She reached for his arm and whispered seductively, "Does it make you shiver and feel tingly in special places?"

Draco was stunned silent for a good 20 seconds before he was able to respond. "Bloody hell, Granger, don't ever use that voice on me! You scared the living daylights out of me!"

She merely laughed.

"And that's just wrong!"

"Which part?" She said, still laughing.

"The whole of it! It's all a bunch of lies strung together!"

"Is not."

"Is too."

"I hate you, Granger."

"Oh Malfoy, the feeling is nothing but mutual."

They were silent again. They had gone through a hefty part of the castle and were surprised that there seemed to be no trouble tonight. It was probably the blistering cold or fear of the two students that made the rest of the school run back to their dormitories at the sight of them.

"I have not been thinking about the kiss, Granger." Draco said, finally breaking the silence.

"Seems quite the opposite, Malfoy."

"If you must know, and here is the TRUTH and absolute TRUTH, I am here tonight because that pig-headed Head Boy assigned me rounds on the night we have Quidditch practice."

"Huh, practice in the dead of winter." She observed.

"That was months ago and I only had time to catch up with rounds now."

She only remained silent.

"And I have 'noticed' your avoidance of me because I have been itching to have a verbal sparring with you but you always seem to have other things to do or are in no mood to fight back. I mean Granger, I haven't pulled your hair, made your books fly off or tripped you in the past few weeks! A man has needs! A man notices when there's a change in his daily routines!"

"Oh Malfoy, it makes me so happy to know that terrorizing me is part of what makes your day."

"Why Granger, it is. I live to see you all red in the face and about to pounce!" He said, clapping his hands in amusement.

Silence only on her end.

"I answered your questions truthfully. Your turn to answer mine."

"I never made such arrangements."

"Oh yes you did. Why are you dodging such harmless questions?" He suddenly perked up in curiosity, "Are you ashamed of your answers?"

"No."

"My my! Hermione Granger must be hiding a juicy little secret to be evasive of such meaningless questions! I wonder what the oh-so-perfect Granger has to hide? Were you doing something illegal? Were you smuggling in dragon eggs? Oh, that's not fun. Were you holding up a photograph of me and kissing me and crying your eyes out because you could never—"

"Gods, shut up! Fine! I am late because I lost track of time while I was with Ron," she was blushing at this point, "And I have been avoiding you since the fiasco because that same night, that was the night when Ron told me he had feelings for me and it was our… first real kiss." She blushed again. "And I hate that it's tainted with YOUR kiss!"

"You and the Weasel are… together?" He asked, perplexed. "But I've never seen you two together more than the usual."

"Yes, we're sort of together and well, we're taking it slow by… dating. And occasionally kissing. He said we should keep it on the low so people wouldn't talk about us so much and meddle with our umm… relationship."

He shuddered and then realized something, "Wait! You agreed to this AFTER I kissed you?"

"Yes, Malfoy, I did."

"Does he kiss BETTER than I do?"

"Why in Merlin's name would you even care? And I am not answering that question."

"Holy hippogriff, I don't think this has EVER happened to me in my entire life!"

"Which has?"

"That I kiss a girl and yet she still kisses someone else on the SAME NIGHT. My kisses are supposed to have lasting effects that make women want more from ME." He halted in his step, apparently, extremely bothered by this.

"Have I ever told you you're so full of yourself?" Hermione giggled, amused that she won this round and continued to walk.

"Did he make you moan?" He asked, catching up to her.

"WHAT?"

"Did that ginger make you moan when he kissed you, well, kisses you?"

"I am NOT answering that, Malfoy!"

"You did when we kissed. Does he nibble on your lip?"

"WHAT?"

"I did when we kissed and you seemed to REALLY enjoy it."

"Stop it!"

"Does he run his hands from your hair down to your neck all the way down to your lower back?"

"Malfoy, seriously, STOP!"

"You shivered when I did that. Do you pull into him closer and seem as if you don't wanna stop?"

"MALFOY, DON'T MAKE ME HEX YOU!"

"You were doing everything you can to keep sucking face with me. I think, if nobody else were around that time, you could have begged me to take you right there, right—OW!"

Hermione was fuming when he kicked him in the shins.

"What was that for?"

"I told you to QUIT IT!"

"Well answer my questions if you want me to stop!"

"NO."

"Does he make you feel like he wants to take you right then and there and have his way with you?"

"Oh god, yes! Okay? YES! HE KISSES BETTER THAN YOU!" Hermione finally almost screamed.

Draco stopped abruptly, in utter shock. They found themselves, strangely, in a corridor near the Gryffindor tower. Apparently, he had unconsciously walked with her all the way back to her dorm from the conversations they had been having. Currently, though, he was positively stunned at the words that came from her mouth and was frozen on the spot.

"Are you happy now, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, still livid from all the things that came out of his mouth. Then in one breath she huffed, "Yes, he makes me feel wanted, he makes me feel amazing, his hands run around my body when we kiss and he bloody well makes me want more!" She screeched and was currently breathing deep breaths.

Silence.

"Oh gods, I've said so much." She mumbled and started to run to her dormitory. She was about to turn the corner to the portrait of the Fat Lady when she was suddenly pulled back, was pressed against the wall and was covered by the body of no one else but Draco Malfoy.

"I don't believe you." He said and then proceeded to kiss her with all his might.

Hermione was nothing short of surprised. What surprised her even more was that she eagerly responded to his kiss. There was something more to this kiss. And she never really did believe that Ron kissed this way. Draco was passionate and he took the lead, yet he left room for her to do what she wanted. Ron did run his hands all over her yet not in this heated way that Draco did. Draco's touches were full of emotion, full of want, full of… desire. She never shivered with Ron, never felt the need to run her hands from his hair, down to his neck, down to his back the way Draco made her want to do – and boy did she enjoy doing it. And she lied, she definitely never moaned with Ron. At least, never the way Draco made her – and she could barely count how many times a low moan came from her during their heated kiss.

After what seemed like forever, they broke off, gasping for air. She was looking up at him, still with surprised eyes. He was gasping for air, but he had a small smile painted on his face.

"Don't you ever tell me he kisses you better than I do." He said in between breaths and while gazing deep into her eyes. Then he leaned in close to her and whispered, "No one will ever kiss you better than I do, Granger, no one."

Hermione's eyes only widened. She was breathing deeply now and blushing profusely from the kiss, from his closeness and from his words.

"You're right, Granger. I have been noticing you avoiding me because ever since that kiss, I can't bloody well stop thinking about you." Draco continued, still whispering in her ear and keeping her rather close. "I've kissed a good number of witches in my entire life but no one has ever kissed me the way you did. You're a fool to have thought that this kind of chemistry that you and I have can be found in someone else because it can't. Weasley may make you feel good but never THIS good. If I were the man in your life, I wouldn't be ashamed to hold your hand in between classes or kiss you in front of the entire school. I would let everyone know that you are mine as I am yours. I would never date you in secret, Granger, because you don't deserve to just be a 'good snog'. I won't bloody care what other people say about us because I'll have you and that's all that matters. They can just be jealous all they want. So don't ever, ever tell me that he is so much better than I am because Granger, Hermione, when it comes to you, no one will ever feel for you the way I do."

And with those words, he gave her one last kiss on the lips, much tamer, much shorter and so much sweeter this time, and walked away.

"Merlin, help me." Hermione whispered, still plastered stuck on the wall, "I think Draco Malfoy just told me he loves me."

**A/N: Hi :) I just added this because inspiration hit me at 5 AM when I couldn't sleep. Hope you enjoyed. I dunno if I'm gonna continue cause it might ruin everything but I'll try I guess if inspiration hits again.**

**And as always, if I owned Harry Potter, I would be vacationing in Greece right now. Or the moon. Whatever. :)  
**


	3. Chapter 3

"…five golden rings! Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!" Hermione Granger was skipping and singing as she walked down the street from the store. It was Christmas Eve and she was home for the holidays. Her mother had asked her to go to the nearest grocery to pick up a few things for dinner. The weather wasn't the best, but with a warming charm and a need for fresh air, she happily obliged. She was happy to be home. She missed her family, her room, her bed and most especially, she missed the silence. She was happy to be spending Christmas with her mum and dad and her grandparents who would be flying all the way from Australia to see them.

It has been two and a half weeks since that night. THAT night – the night when all rationality was swept from her and she engaged in ANOTHER passionate kiss with her former enemy, current admirer, one Draco Malfoy. She had been extremely jumpy. She was always deep in thought, lying low so as not to bump into said boy and making up every possible excuse to not engage in a snog session with current "boyfriend" Ronald Weasley. She was running out of excuses. She had tried homework and prefect rounds and study sessions and fatigue and mouth sores and even contagious colds. It was not easy but she had to do it. She just COULD NOT kiss Ron after kissing Draco. It wasn't because she stopped having feelings for Ron and had loads of them for Draco. It was just because she had absolutely NO idea where her life was supposed to go now, relationship-wise. Suffice to say, it had been a tough two and a half weeks, not the toughest because she did spend weeks devising plans on how to eliminate one Dark wizard, but this was definitely in her top 5.

She was walking up the path to their front door and was nearly done with her singing of The 12 Days of Christmas. She cheerfully unlocked the door with her key, hung up her coat and scarf, left her damp boots by the door and called out, "Mum? Dad? I'm back!"

A woman with brown hair, although not very bushy, stepped into the hallway with a giant smile on her face. "Oh my darling, there's someone waiting for you in the living room. I think you will be very surprised!"

"Nana and Gramps are here? Already?" She squealed, passing on the bag of grocery goods to her mother. "They came a day earlier, that's great!" She took off and started running to their living room. She was surprised however to see that in place of an elderly couple who slightly resembled her was a young man with blonde hair and gray eyes.

"Hello there, Grang—Hermione." Draco said standing up and greeting her.

Hermione forced a very awkward and scared smile – careful not to be rude because both her parents were watching. She was too stunned to speak. She wondered if this was some sort of apparition or someone was trying to pull a prank on her. It was probably just a weird Christmas joke and the mask would come off and it would just be her grandfather or grandmother behind it. But of course that would be weird. They had no idea who in the world Draco Malfoy was.

"Draco came while you were in the grocer's, darling." Jean, her mother, said. "We were actually very much surprised to have him show up here after all the stories you have told us about your constant fights."

Richard, Hermione's father, then added. "Oh but he was very polite and asked us to forgive his immaturity. I actually believe your friend here is a fine young fellow, princess."

Hermione's eyes only widened at both her parents statements.

"I have very much matured." Draco spoke up after a few seconds. "I have come to realize what a wonderful and beautiful girl your daughter is, Mr. and Mrs. Granger. It took a while, yes, but here we are."

Hermione's parents were beaming – and her mother was blushing! She could not help but gag at the flattery Draco was displaying. He had her parents at the palm of his pureblood hand! She knew he felt some things for her but to suck up to her parents was just something she never expected Malfoy to do. Actually, showing up in her home was something she never expected ANY Malfoy in the world to do. This was just too wrong.

"Well darling, your father and I will leave you two alone to chat while I prepare dinner." Jean said as she stood up to leave.

"Will you be staying for dinner, Draco?" Richard inquired as he stood up from the couch.

"Oh, no, thank you, sir. I would very much love to but I have to go and have dinner with my mother." Draco explained.

"Oh yes, that's right. Well then," Jean gave Hermione a knowing wink, "you kids have fun."

Mr. Granger shooed his wife out of the living room and the two were left by themselves.

Draco turned to look at the still unmoving Hermione. She was by the doorway of the living room looking at Draco with wide eyes. After a while she started blinking multiple times. "I'm not gonna go away if you keep blinking. I am very much real, Granger."

That was when Hermione snapped out of her musings and finally spoke. "Malfoy," she hissed, "what in Merlin's name are you doing here? In my home? On Christmas eve?"

Draco shrugged, "I came to wish you a Happy Christmas."

"And writing that in a letter never occurred to you?"

Draco shrugged again, "I was in the neighborhood anyway."

"How is that even possible? Don't you live in a manor in the middle of a forest?"

"I was flying about and I happened to realize that I was in your neighborhood."

"How do you even know my neighborhood?"

"I am all-knowing, Granger."

Hermione flashed him a look of amusement. "If I didn't know better, Malfoy, I think you're stalking me."

He scoffed. "I don't stalk, Granger. If this were stalking, I would be hiding behind a bush outside your house watching your every move. As it is, I am comfortably sitting in your couch and you are very much aware of my presence."

"Well, this has been great, Malfoy, but I have some preparing for Christmas to do." She said, now standing up and reaching over to drag him off the couch.

"What?"

"You've greeted me a Happy Christmas. Your business here is done." She smiled now, happy to have found a good excuse to be rid of him.

"Oh, you are very much mistaken. I have another reason for being here." Now he was the one smirking.

Hermione raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "And what is that?"

"I came to give you your present."

"Oh, thank you." She then proceeded to look at him expectantly with her hands raised in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for you to give me my present so you can go."

Draco pondered for a while and then replied, "Maybe later."

"What?"

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easily." He then stood up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" She asked warily.

"We're gonna go make a snowman."

"A what?"

"You know, you roll two giant balls of snow, stack them on top of each other, put eyes, a nose, a mouth, limbs and a hat and scarf?"

"I very well know what a snowman is Malfoy." She replied haughtily. "I want to know why in Merlin's name are we going to do that?"

"Because, I don't want to go yet and well, there's a pretty good amount of snow outside and maybe it'll help you ease up if you got a bit of fresh air. You're very rude to guests, do you know that Granger?" He then proceeded to grab hold of her hands and pull her to the front door.

She crossed her arms and huffed, "I am not rude. You just caught me by surprise and you don't even know how much presents I still have to wrap for my parents and grandparents! And I have to mail my gifts to Harry, Ron and Ginny, you know. And then I still have to—"

Draco put a finger on her lips to keep her quiet. "Hush. Just one snowman, Granger. That's all I ask. And then I swear to be rid of you until I feel like terrorizing you again with my presence. Is that all right?"

Hermione only nodded.

"Good." He said, now grabbing hold of her coat and scarf and placing it on her while she stood there.

"What are you doing?"

"You don't seem to want to move so I'm helping you to your clothes." He said, now wrapping her scarf around her neck. "Unless you wanna freeze?"

She shook her head and grabbed her boots as he opened the door.

"By the way Granger, next time you ramble on like that I may have to use another method of shutting you up."

"Huh?"

"Something more effective and more fun." He winked and puckered his lips.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Oh don't play coy." He said, then leaned into her and whispered, "We both know how much you enjoy it."

She punched his arm, told him to shut up and ran to where a hefty amount of snow was in her front yard. Draco followed suit and they both started making giant balls of snow to stack on top of each other. For a while, Hermione forgot how troubled she was and started to enjoy herself – even if one of the causes of her trouble was with her. It was ironic that the reason for her constant frets was also the reason she felt so cheerful and content at the moment. It scared her to realize that Draco Malfoy could make her feel so warm and fuzzy inside – something very different from how she used to feel around him.

"We need a scarf and a hat!" Hermione said was she finished placing a few stones they found as the snowman's eyes.

"It's your house. Can you produce one for our new-found friend?"

"Hmmmm, let me go check." She dashed inside the house and came back a few minutes later with an old hat and one of her scarves. She placed it on the snowman and stepped back to take a look at their work. "Something's missing."

Draco skewed his head to the left then to the right to figure out what she was talking about. "A nose?"

"Yeah, he looks incomplete without it."

Draco looked around and found a flat stone and pressed it on the face of the snowman. He stepped back to look and started to laugh.

"What?" Hermione asked, amused at Draco's amusement. "What's so funny?"

"His nose is flat." He continued chuckling.

"Yes, it is. What of it?"

"He looks like Voldemort." He said, now laughing so much.

Hermione squinted her eyes to examine their snowman and started to laugh as well. "I cannot believe you associated a dark wizard who was out to murder everyone in his path to a snowman."

"Hey, the coot's long gone. And I would very much like to ridicule him all I want to make up for everything he's put all of us through."

They fell silent for a while, just looking at their Voldemort-look-alike snowman.

"Wanna make another?" Draco asked then lit up and said, "We can make this one look like Weasley! Now if only there was a way to make fiery god-awful red hair on a snowman."

Hermione scowled, "That's not nice, Malfoy. And besides, you said one snowman, then gift and then go."

"Oh come on, just one more. It doesn't have to look like Weasley now. Just a regular snowman."

"Malfoy, do I have to reiterate to you the amount of things I still need to do?" She turned to him, placed her hands on her hips and started her litany. "I have to wrap my gifts for my parents, my grandparents and my friends. I have to help my mother cook Christmas dinner. I have to clear out the guest room for my grandparents who will be arriving tomorrow to spend a week with us. I have to go to the neighbors' houses to deliver the cookies my mother made and I even have to primp myself up to look good for Christmas dinner despite the fact that my hair won't tame itself and my eyes look like I haven't slept in months and I don't think I – mmmf!"

Draco Malfoy took this as the moment to shut her up the way he knew best – by taking her lips into his. Of course he had also been meaning to do this since the last time he did two and a half weeks ago but this one was like hitting two birds with one stone – kissing the one he liked and getting his chatterbox former enemy to shut the hell up. He was surprised to feel a hand wrap around his body and another work its way up to his hair. He took this as a sign to go further and decided to deepen the kiss.

She was surprised again and even more surprised that she was taking the lead. Merlin, if only Ron would kiss her this way then she wouldn't be in such agony. But as it is no one could make her feel the way this Draco sodding Malfoy did. And she couldn't help herself. She knew this was as wrong as when it happened the first time but Merlin, how could something so wrong feel this right?

After what seemed like forever, they both pulled away to take in some air. Draco placed a hand on her cheek and started stroking it. Hermione's both hands were still wrapped around his neck and both their foreheads were pressed together.

"I told you I would shut you up if you didn't cease with the talking." He said in between breaths. She could only smile in response.

"I know when I'm not wanted anymore, Granger and I think this is my cue to leave and let you do the things that you need to do. Merlin knows there are a lot of them. Besides, I think mother is waiting for me already. Here," he said, taking out a small rectangular box from his coat pocket. "I do hope you like it. Don't open it until it's actually Christmas."

He leaned in again to give her a soft peck on the lips. "You have a charming home and a wonderful family. Please tell your parents I said good bye." He then turned away from a still shell-shocked Hermione and rummaged through their bushes for his broom. As he was mounting the broom, he turned to look at her and gave her a wink. "Happy Christmas, Granger." And then he flew off.

It was almost midnight, only a few minutes until Christmas. Hermione slumped onto her bed, very tired from today's events. No matter how hard she tried the entire day, she couldn't shake off or wash off THE kiss. She was perplexed. She didn't know why it was that he was able to steal THREE kisses from her already. Yet even if she tried so hard to be angry about it, she found she couldn't.

"Augh! Stupid, annoying, addictive and augh, attractive bouncing ferret!" She exclaimed as she covered her face with her pillow.

At that moment, she heard tapping coming from her window. She stood up and found an owl with a small parcel wrapped around its feet. She opened the window, let in the owl and took the box and the note that came with it.

_Happy Christmas, Mione. I know you'll make good use of this._

_Ron_

She practically tore open the gift in excitement. She had been waiting for this all day and she could hardly contain herself. And then there it was, Ron's gift to her – a bookmark. It was red and in gold letters was her name. It was pretty, she definitely thought it was. She was sure Ron put effort into this and thought long and hard about it. So why was she so disappointed? She fell on her bed again and continued thinking.

Ron was her boyfriend. Well, her supposed boyfriend. He knew she liked books but was this really all he could think of giving? On Christmas? She was never really picky with gifts. She refused to be petty about these kinds of things but why? It was just a gift. It didn't mean anything big. It was just a gift. Just a gift.

"A gift!" She shot up and remembered she had one more gift she hadn't opened yet and it was sitting inside her coat pocket downstairs. She flew down the stairs and rummaged through her coat pockets to find Draco's present. When she did, she didn't take another second to pause and tore apart the wrapper. In it was an emerald velvet box. Her hands were shaking. Why were they shaking? It was just a gift from a supposed friend. Just a gift. She closed her eyes, counted to three, opened the box and eventually, her eyes as well.

"Holy mother of Merlin." She breathed as her eyes took in the beautiful silver necklace that lay in front of her. She wasn't in to jewelry. She hated having things tied around her arms and neck and all that. This however was more than just a necklace. There was a beautiful otter pendant attached to a long chain. An otter, her patronus. "How did he know this was mine?" She whispered again, taking the necklace out of the box and hanging it around her neck.

She slowly walked up to her room, mind clouded with even more thoughts now. On one hand was Ronald Weasley, her supposed boyfriend and best friend. They were meant to be together – at least that was what everyone was expecting. She knew a lot about him and he knew so much about her. But then they've been friends for the longest time and he seemed to think that that was good enough. He never seemed to make an extra effort to make her feel that they were so much more.

On the other hand was Draco Malfoy, her supposed former enemy and number 1 bully. No one would EVER expect them to be together. They were almost opposites in everything. They would always agree to disagree and the only time they would ever speak was when they were arguing over something. He made her life hell for 6 years with his taunting and teasing. Yet here he was. He knew so much about her – things she herself never even expected others to know. He made so much effort to find her, to be with her and to even get to know her. He was so much more than the git he had been those past years.

Her mind started to replay all three kisses she had with Draco, all three moments wherein she was caught off-guard. She replayed all the things she felt, all the things he said and all the things that he did. She ran a finger through her lips and felt a shiver run down her spine. Did she like him? Was she falling for him too? He who was so damn sweet all the time and he who made her feel so beautiful without having to try.

She held on to her otter pendant and turned to her side. "You will be the death of me, Draco Malfoy. Damn you for refusing to get out of my mind." Turning to lie flat on her back she sighed before closing her eyes, "But damn me because I love it."

And so Hermione fell asleep with a smile on her face, clutching the otter pendant, not even noticing that on her bedroom floor lay a red and gold bookmark, completely forgotten.

**A/N: Was that inspiration enough? I'm not so happy with this chapter. But yeah, so Hermione realizes she has feelings for Draco as well. Now I wonder how she'll tell him? And I wonder how they'll break the news to Ron.**

**Again, HP isn't mine. Never was, never will be mine.**


	4. Chapter 4

Elated. That was what Draco Malfoy was feeling at this very moment while he was pretending to listen in History of Magic. Of course, he would never show it. On the outside he had on a very passive and bored look on his face but on the inside, he was bursting with joy. Oh, was he floating on cloud nine. He was so happy that he was actually listening to Professor Binns go on and on about the Great Giants War of 1549 and was actually taking down notes.

He had been having a very grumpy week and a half. After he flew off from Hermione's house where he left her with a passionate kiss and a wonderful gift, he never heard from her. At first it was unsettling, then it was nerve-wracking, then it was frustrating and then it was terrifying. He had swung into several different emotions in a span of 12 days and his mother had been on the receiving end of it all. (Poor woman!) He had considered flying or apparating to see her again but one, he didn't want to appear too needy (he was still a Malfoy) and two, he was terrified of her rejecting him. Long story short, he had gone completely mad those days and was nothing but thrilled to be heading back to school.

What ruined his excitement though was not seeing her at all the entire train ride and her not even glancing his way during dinner that same day even if he was almost staring at her the entire feast. With all of these, he had allowed himself to conclude that she was rejecting his advances and that he would probably be the grumpiest man alive until he found a damn way to get over his not-so-little crush on Hermione beautiful and damn addictive Granger.

So today, the first day of classes again after the holidays, he woke up brooding. He had broken a bathroom mirror, kicked three armchairs in the Common Room, picked on a pack of first years and bent his silverware all in a span of 30 minutes from getting out of bed. He was still sulky on his way to class (how could she not be at breakfast?) and by that time he was already ready to punch even a professor smack in the middle of their face. He sat down on his usual spot, in the corner at the back, and waited – for the professor, for class to start and for her.

Ten minutes into class, the door swung open and a very harassed-looking Hermione came in.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. Are we really going to start the New Year in bad light? Ten points from Gryffindor for being late. Sit down beside Ms. Brown by the back and do not disrupt my class again." Professor Binns said before continuing his lecture.

Draco was now alert. Hermione Granger's disheveled self was sitting on the seat diagonal his. She took out the contents of her bag – her book, parchment and quill and started to write. That was when Lavander Brown, bless her annoying soul, decided to be her normal annoying self.

"Hermione!" she hissed, "You look horrible! What happened to you? Why are you so late?"

Hermione only shushed her.

"Oh come on Hermione, you don't really want to listen to this ghost talk all hour. What kept you? You look like you just had a steamy snog session in a closet with someone!" Lavander giggled.

This was when Draco suddenly perked up in his seat. They didn't have History of Magic with Weasley. What if she was late because they were busy snogging? This caused him to bend his quill in anger. He leaned in a little closer to listen in. Hermione still hadn't given Lavander any reply.

"Hermione come on! Give me some juicy and steamy details!"

Hermione turned to look at her giggling seatmate and hissed, "I was not making out with anyone, nor am I in this bloody disheveled state because I've been getting some—", she used air quotes saying those two words, "with anyone! Happy now?"

Lavander pouted. "Definitely not. I wanted a juicier story."

"Lavander, not all girls desire to be found in between a wall and a man. Some of us desire to learn, to take in new knowledge, to graduate with exceptional marks and to have successful careers."

"Oh Hermione, you are such a kill joy." She sighed. "So if you want all of those, what took you so long getting to class where you can –", and this she said in a perfect imitation of her brown-haired classmate, "learn, take in new knowledge, graduate with good marks and have an awesome career?"

It was Hermione's turn to sigh now. "I woke up late, okay?"

"Really? But you were in bed so early! Parvati and I went up at 10:30 and you were already tucked in!"

"I've been having trouble sleeping. I may have been in bed but I wasn't necessarily asleep."

Lavander only cocked an eyebrow as if telling her to go on.

"I've had a lot of things running in my mind so sleep sort of eludes me."

"By things you mean boys?"

"Merlin Lav, do you think of anything other than boys?" She huffed, "And if I was thinking of boys, what's it to you?"

Lavander gave a tiny squeal, "Merlin, now we're getting somewhere good! Who is it?"

Draco leaned in even closer. He could swear that if he moved a bit more, he would fall face-first in the aisle that separated them. He was only thankful that their ghost of a professor was too engrossed in the lecture to see.

"It's nothing, Lav. Just let it go please and let me listen to Professor Binns!"

"Ugh, you are so dull. But fine, I'll leave you to your learning." Lavander leaned away to doodle in her parchment and Hermione continued taking down notes.

All was silent now sans the ghost droning in the background. This silence made Draco rather edgy. Who was causing her sleep troubles? What had been running through her mind all this time? Was he involved in any of this? Did he actually confuse her enough to consider leaving the Weasel for him? He mentally slapped himself for being too needy and leaned away to continue brooding until.

"Oh my, Hermione! That's such a cute necklace!" Lavander reached towards her classmate and held the pendant in her hand. "An otter, my how adorable!"

Draco suddenly jerked closer again.

"Isn't this your Patronus? Oh wow! This silver is gorgeous! This isn't like the ones you get from the carts along Diagon Alley! This must've cost a fortune! Where did you get this?"

Hermione snatched the necklace away and hid it inside her white Oxford shirt. "It was a gift."

"Oooh! Who from?"

"Um, just someone." Hermione replied, still trying to take down notes while her friend was bombarding her with questions.

"That someone must like you a whole lot to give you something so beautiful! Not to mention, so expensive!"

"It's nothing, okay? Just quiet down, Lav."

"Come on, Hermione! Who's it from?"

No answer.

"Please tell me! Please, please, please, please, please?"

"Oh hush, Lav!" Hermione huffed in annoyance. "You probably don't even know him anyway so it doesn't matter."

"Fine, then." The other girl said, again pouting. "But just so you know, I may not be book-smart but I do know that whoever gave you that necklace really, really likes you." She giggled. "Oh, it would be so exciting if you liked him too! You do need someone to spice up your dull life."

"Thank you for that, really. But you know, what goes on in my life that concerns love relationships is none of your business." And then mumbling a bit softer she added, "Anything that goes on in my life is none of your business, actually."

"Oh whatever, Hermione! Just answer me one last thing and I swear to leave you alone."

"Yes, ask now please so I can listen in peace."

Lavander gave a dramatic pause and batted her eyelashes. "Do you like mystery-necklace-giver, too?"

Hermione suddenly bit her lower lip. "Oh, uh, I can't answer that."

Lavander squealed, "Oh gods, that's a yes?"

Hermione only bit her lip harder and started to go red in the face. "I never said anything."

"It is a yes! You like mystery-necklace-giver!" And Hermione covered her friend's mouth and started to scold her to shut her loud mouth up.

And that was enough for Draco. After all those days of sulking and grumbling and brooding, he was now able to confirm his worst nightmare was, in fact, only imagined. Hermione Granger likes him. Hermione Granger likes him, Draco Malfoy. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor princess, likes Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince. He chuckled silently to himself, leaned back in his chair in a relaxed pose and a let a smirk form on his once scowling face.

* % * % * %

Hermione was packing her things after Professor Binns dismissed them from class and gave her a quick 'never pull that stunt in my class again, Miss Granger, you're my best student and I expect you to be a good example' lecture. She was having a crazed enough morning and it irked her more to have been placed beside that nosy Lavander Brown. She kept asking her all those useless questions and she only hoped to all the gods in the world that Draco Malfoy heard nothing from where he was sitting. They had been speaking in very hushed and low voices but Lavander's squeals could have attracted attention. She whacked herself in the head with her palm. She was NOT ready for Draco to find out her little secret.

She sighed, finished up putting her things in her bag and walked out of the room. She needed to be in Defense against the Dark Arts in 10 minutes and she needed to get there fast. Coming in late was definitely something she did not want to happen two classes in a row. She was almost running down the hallway when she was suddenly grabbed and was dragged into an empty classroom. She wanted to scream but a hand was covering her mouth. She was about to thrash in panic until she saw an all-too-familiar smirk on an all-too-familiar face.

"I'm gonna take my hand out but you have to swear not to scream. Okay?" Draco asked and Hermione nodded. He then released her from his grip.

"Gods, Malfoy! You almost gave me a heart attack with what you did just there!" She was breathing in pants as she said this.

"Sorry. I just didn't know how else to get hold of you." They were both silent. "You've been avoiding me again, Granger. Well actually, you've been completely ignoring me."

"I haven't. I just… haven't had the opportunity! We just got back from the holidays and I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you or to umm, thank you."

"And writing a letter never occurred to you?" He smirked, remembering her saying this only a couple of days ago.

She seemed to have remembered too because she smiled a bit. "No. Not that I didn't want to write a letter, it just seemed impersonal after this kind of a gift."

"I take it you like it then?"

She smiled. "Yes, very much. It's beautiful but how did you know about the otter?"

"I have my sources, Granger. Besides, I'm a Malfoy and we tend to know everything."

"If you mean to say Malfoys are nosy creatures, then yes, I agree whole-heartedly."

He feigned hurt by putting both hands over his heart. "Must your words always have a bite to it?"

"Must you always ambush me in the oddest of situations?"

He only shrugged. "So, I couldn't help but overhear yours and Brown's conversation earlier in class."

Hermione's back bolted straight up and her eyes grew wide. "Y-you heard?"

"I may have heard parts of it and it has led me to conclude a few things."

"W-what kind of things?"

"That one, that Brown girl is completely daft. No surprises there, though, she never seemed to be the brightest in the bunch. Two, that you need to stop thinking so much or else those bags under your eyes will grow significantly larger. By the way, I have a good beauty spell for that – oh stop giving me that judgmental look, it's only because my mother uses it. And three," He wiggled his eyebrows at this, "I believe that you, Ms. Granger, have something very… interesting that you need to tell me."

Hermione's brain suddenly went on overdrive. She was internally panicking, cursing Lavander for being too damn nosy and scolding herself for yielding to that girl's incessant questions. She started racking her brain for a good enough response to his words.

"Earth to Granger!" Draco waved his hands in front of her, "Anybody home?"

No answer.

"Granger? Hello?"

Still no answer.

"Man, do I have to shock you conscious? 'Cause I could kiss you again, you know, that always gets your attention."

She suddenly snapped conscious at his words and spoke, "Well, look at the time! I have Defense against the Dark Arts in about… wow, 2 minutes and I have to go to make it. I'll see you around, Malfoy!" Then she started to walk towards the door.

Draco only chuckled. She was halfway out when he called after her, "It takes time to digest, Granger! But I'll be waiting when you're ready."

Hermione turned to look at his smiling face – one that seemed to belong to someone who had just won an unlimited amount of Felix Felicis for life – gave him a hesitant smile and then sped off to class.

* % * % * %

It did take time for Hermione to accept all the things she had been feeling. Normally, this would have irked Draco but knowing that she reciprocated his feelings gave him enough cheerful energy to last a few weeks. He seemed to make the most out of it by using it to his advantage. For example, winking at her every time she glanced his way, tugging on a curl of her hair whenever he passed by her studying form in the library or intentionally grazing her arm whenever he "knocks her down" in the hallway. It was extremely fun setting her off that way and watching her tremble at his slightest touch.

But weeks then turned into a month and became a month and a half. A month and a half. Draco was now losing hope. Surely it did not take that long for someone to accept that she had feelings for someone, right? Was it all just a mistake? Maybe she really didn't feel the same. Thinking about it now, she never did say 'yes' when she was asked if she liked him. And that was why he was once again brooding in the Slytherin common room, banging his head on the back of the chair and sneering at whoever attempted at conversation with him.

He HAD to find a way to get Hermione to realize her feelings for him. He had to pry her from this shell she seemed to be hiding in. But how? He whacked himself lightly on the head and sighed. She was definitely nothing like all the other girls he had been with. They would throw themselves at his feet. He never even had to lift a finger to get them to snog the living daylights out of him. But this was Hermione Granger he had feelings for. She was smart, extremely clever and scarily tough. She never begged or groveled. She never just gave in. She only responded to challenges and threats. Challenges and threats. Challenges and threats! That was it!

Draco leapt from his chair and practically ran to the Great Hall where everyone had already started eating dinner. On his way, he grabbed the first pretty 7th year he found and wrapped his arm around her as they entered the hall. He brought the girl to his table and made her sit on his lap. He knew it was rather low but at this point he was desperate to try anything. The girl, he found out, was from Ravenclaw and was nothing but eager to be sucking face with him. Of course he refused to kiss her. His kisses were reserved for Hermione. What he did, though, was play with her hair and pretend that he was entranced with everything she said.

Across the hall, he spotted her, Hermione Granger. She was sporting a confused face that soon turned hurt and then angry. He gave her a friendly smile and pretended to listen again to the Ravenclaw. Was her named Melody? Mindy? Mandy? Whatever. He glanced at Hermione again and she was now giving him a look that was murderous. He shrugged at her and gave her a look that meant to say 'this could be you'. She only responded by glaring some more. He smirked at her and then, to spite her even more, he touched the cheek of Melody-Mindy-Mandy-whoever and brushed her hair from her face. The girl on his lap obviously giggled whereas the girl three tables away gave him one last hateful look and stood up abruptly to go.

He stood up at once, knocking the Mandy-Melody-Mindy-ugh-whoever over. He muttered an apology and sped out of the hall. He was walking past a tapestry that hung near an alcove when he was grabbed by his shoulders. He got the wind knocked out of him by a sudden punch in the stomach.

"What the hell was that?" a very livid Hermione asked while he was grasping his stomach, gasping for air.

"I—could—ask—you—the—same—thing." He wheezed.

"What was all that display about? What the hell were you doing? You go through great lengths to tell me that you like me and then weeks later you're sucking face with a Ravenclaw bimbo?" She was seething. "Do you even KNOW her name?"

He was still panting when he replied, "Yes. Mandy. Or Mindy. Or Melody. It starts with M." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Either way, Granger, you seem to have made your choice. It's been what, weeks and weeks and you've never said anything to me or even looked my way for more than 5 seconds. You obviously want nothing to do with me and I feel I am at liberty to go out with anyone I like. Even if she is a Ravenclaw bimbo."

She only stared at him in disbelief.

"Besides, what do you care?" He chuckled despite the hurt that was laced in his every word. "You obviously don't."

She slapped his shoulder this time. "You can be REALLY thick sometimes, Draco Malfoy. Really and seriously thick. Merlin, could you be any more daft?"

"Wow Granger, along with physical violence, you put the cherry on top of it by abusing me verbally."

"Shut up!" She hissed. "Yes, you know what, I did realize that I like you. YOU! Draco bloody Malfoy, the most annoying, selfish and evil git I have ever known. Except I didn't like that annoying, selfish and evil git because I realized there was SO MUCH more to you than you show yourself to be. You were, no, you ARE bloody sweet, thoughtful and surprisingly affectionate. You're bloody brilliant when you choose to be in the proper sorts of mind. And you're extremely attractive too! Well, kinda needy at times but it's still a bit cute." She laughed a bit and then shook off the distraction. "But I couldn't just leave everything and just snog the life out of you and be with you. I supposedly have a boyfriend who has been my best friend for years! Do you know how difficult it is, Malfoy? Do you know how difficult it is to realize that the person you thought you would end up with for the rest of your life is not who you thought it would be? Do you know how difficult it is to switch from hating you to wanting to be with you all the time? Do you know that this – despite being extremely enjoyable and wonderful – is just not easy for me?"

Draco was only silent, contemplating her words. He did know it wasn't very easy but he never considered seeing it in her eyes. He suddenly felt very, very stupid for doing what he did.

"I do like you, Malfoy. I really, really do." She sighed. "When you said you would wait for me until I was able to accept everything, I just thought you were the sweetest thing. But now this? This just infuriates me. No, actually, this just hurts me. Now I don't know where that side of Malfoy went. I just want to beat you into a pulp right now but I won't because I don't even want to bloody hurt you."

He was silent again and he only stared at her. She was looking down at her feet and was biting a quivering lip. Was she gonna cry? Oh no. He didn't know what to do with girls who cried. He especially didn't know how to comfort a crying Hermione Granger. He used to live to see her cry. Now he would gladly give up all his hair products just to never see her in tears.

And then she did burst into tears. "Merlin, I'm such an idiot. I can't believe I actually thought someone would like me as much as you did." She buried her face in her hands.

He didn't know if it was because of her pitiful state or the words she said. He didn't even know what possessed him to do what he did next but he just did. He took her into her arms and let her cry on his chest. He rubbed circles on her back and hushed her until she stopped crying. Which wasn't so long, really. He assumed she still refused to be seen as weak, especially by him.

He then took her face in his hands, brushed her tears away and said, "I'm sorry. I really am sorry. I thought you didn't care and it pissed the hell out of me. I wanted to pry you out of your safe zone to take a chance on me. I know it's not easy but I didn't think it was THAT hard for you. I just got really impatient and I did the dumbest thing. I thought you would respond if I posed a threat and well, it worked." He chuckled. "Just not in the way I thought it would."

She only gave him a sad smile.

"Merlin, I'm sorry." He sighed. "I'm so, so, sorry. Please forgive me. Please give me another chance. I don't know who that girl is and I don't care for her at all nor did I enjoy that 5 minutes we were pretending to be something. Gods, I am a stupid fool. I'm really so sorry. Please, Hermione?"

She suddenly looked up and looked into his eyes. "C-can you say that again?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Not that one."

"I'm a stupid fool?"

"No, no. The last thing you said."

"Please, Hermione?"

And then he was tackled by her arms wrapping around him and her lips crashing into his. He didn't even think twice to respond to her. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other found its way into her thick, bushy hair. He kissed her. Oh he kissed her like he had never kissed her before. He put all emotions he had bottled up for a month in a half into that kissed and he could swear that her knees almost gave way if it weren't for the steady arm he had wrapped around her. After what seemed like forever, because he had waited for what seemed like forever to kiss her again, they broke apart.

"What was that for?" He asked with a giant grin on his face.

She blushed. "I dunno. It was weird. You said my name and I all I wanted to do was to kiss you."

"Oh." He said, brushing her hair away from her face. "Hermione." He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I think our kisses are even more amazing when I'm not the one tricking you into kissing."

"Oh haha," she rolled her eyes, "don't think you'll get more of this soon. I still have to break it off with Ron. I mean, I guess it should be easy. I've been avoiding spending time with just him so he might be taking hints already. I'm just deathly afraid of how he will react." She sighed.

He pulled her closer, "Are you sure you really want this? You and me? You can still change your mind, although I would have to warn you that I won't take it graciously."

She paused for a while and then nodded. "I think that ironically, the safest and the happiest I've ever felt is being in the arms of my enemy."

He chuckled. "Former enemy, I hope."

"Former enemy, yes."

"That doesn't mean, though, that I'll stop picking on you. You still really are fun to mess around with."

She pondered on that for a while. "Hmmmm… Well, at least I can easily shut you up now by threatening you."

"I don't yield to threats, Granger." He said as he started kissing her cheeks, her ears, her temples, her forehead, everywhere he could get his lips on.

"Oh yeah? Even if I threaten to not kiss you or let you touch me for an entire week?"

He ceased with the kisses and furrowed his brow. "Damn it. It seems as if you have me at the palm of your hand."

"Hmmm…" She said, enjoying his ravishing of her. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"So I take it you're mine now, yes?"

"Not publicly yet, but yes. I think I've been yours since the first kiss."

He laughed. "Well, well, Draco hot lips Malfoy has done it again." And then he proceeded to take her lips into his.

"H-hermione?" Both suddenly stopped kissing.

"And Malfoy?"

Hermione and Draco turned ever so slowly and who did they find staring right at them? Well Merlin wasn't giving them a break because right there stood none other than Ronald Weasley.

**A/N: Haha, now where will this all go? I wonder too. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. I swear, I love creating a not-so-evil form of Draco.**

**Nothing is mine but the plot. Everything else belongs to one of the greatest minds ever produced by the world.**


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy instantly broke free of each others' grasp, hold and lips. They turned to stare at Ron Weasley who was equally staring back at them, mouth agape. After five minutes of an unintended staring contest, Hermione spoke.

"Ron?" she said in a small voice. There was no answer.

"Ron?" she said a little louder now. Still, no answer. All she got was a seemingly catatonic Ronald Weasley, glued to where he was standing when he found them kissing.

"He looks stunned." Draco said after a while.

Hermione ignored him. "Ron? Ronald?" Silence.

Draco laughed a bit, "He better shut his mouth or one of Lovegood's nargles or what-nots might fly inside it."

"Don't, Malfoy." Hermione said then called Ron again, to no avail.

"Is there an off chance that he never actually saw us? Maybe he's gone brain dead." Draco said again. "He definitely looks it."

"Malfoy, not now." Hermione said, still very wary about the entire situation.

"Oh! Maybe we can obliviate him so he won't remember that you and I were k—"

"Don't finish that sentence, Malfoy!" Hermione was now getting annoyed at both men – one for talking too much and the other for not talking at all.

"If I kick him in the nuts, you think he'll come back to us?"

"DRACO!" Hermione shouted. Just as she was about to smack him on the head —

"Draco?" Ron was suddenly brought to life with the sound of Hermione's voice calling the name he despised most. "After years of being tortured and bullied and teased, it's suddenly DRACO now?"

"Blimey, well folks, look who's back from looney land!" Draco said imitating a perky game show host while laughing. Hermione hit him in the gut.

While Draco was groaning, Hermione turned to look at Ron and said, "Oh gods, Ron."

"What the hell is this Hermione?" Ron asked, now turning red in anger. "Is this why you've ignored me all these weeks? Wait, not weeks, MONTHS. Why you refuse to be alone with me? Why you find every excuse possible to not go to places with me? Why you won't even let me touch you? All because of this—this—ferret!"

Hermione's lip was now quivering. "I'm so sorry, Ron. It—it wasn't supposed to be like this."

"Please tell me he confounded you because I can't think of anything of ANY BLOODY THING that will make you WANT to kiss or BE with Malfoy! Please tell me he altered or tampered with your memory or wait, he's a Malfoy, he must have put you under the imperius!"

"Watch it, weasel." Draco said, now turning serious as he straightened up and stepped forward, placing a menacing glare on his once cackling face.

"Whatever." Ron said, "I'm out of here." Then he turned and started walking away.

Hermione turned to Draco, "I have to follow him and talk to him. Please don't come with me first. Just go back and eat and I'll owl you or something. Just please let me handle this."

Draco tried to protest but she was too fast and dashed off to follow the red-head.

When she finally caught up to him in a deserted corridor on the second floor, she grabbed hold of his arm and made him face her. "I'm really sorry, Ron." Hermione started, "It wasn't meant to be this way. You weren't meant to find out this way. I was supposed to… you just weren't supposed to find out like this."

"And how was I supposed to find out? Were you going to send me a howler and dump me in front of the entire school? Or were you going to let McGonagall announce it before dinner? Or hey! How about you send over those of Aragog's family that survived to do a song and dance number about it? 'Cause those will probably hurt less than finding out on my own. At least THEN I would know that you actually had the guts to tell me! At least then I wouldn't see you as a coward who just sneaks around behind my back and makes me look like an idiot!"

Hermione stepped closer to Ron and tried to grab hold of his arm but he jerked it free. "Ron, please, please listen to me. I never meant to hurt you. I never planned for you to find out this way and I never EVER thought of you as an idiot. Please just calm down and let me explain."

"Explain what, Hermione? How you and your precious 'Draco' have been going at it behind my back? Have you been laughing at me? Talking about how much a fool I am to actually think that you would want me?"

"That's not it." Hermione said, tears streaming unceasingly down her face. "Please stop and just let me explain."

But Ron was tireless and pressed on, driven wildly by his anger and continued his tirade of insults and hurtful words. He hurled insults at her and each insult was added with more venom then the one before. Hermione stood there, close to tears from the hurt yet shaking in wild anger at everything this boy in front of him was saying.

"… he was a Death Eater, Hermione! He wanted to kill us! He watched you while you were being tortured by his own aunt! He didn't do anything, Hermione! And then along with all those, you can even add the fact that he's done nothing but torture you all your life here in Hogwarts. He's called you a Mudblood, has tirelessly mocked you – your appearance, your personality, your beliefs – EVERYTHING that you are. I can't bloody understand why the hell you can just forget all those and forgive him, kiss him and bloody CHEAT on me for him!"

Ron was now heaving after his monologue of Draco's faults. He was staring at her with wild and angry eyes yet his insides were bursting in pain. After taking multiple deep breaths, he started to calm down.

"Hermione, do you know why I even followed you out here?" No answer. "I saw how upset you were before leaving the Great Hall and I thought that as your 'boyfriend', I should be the one you run to when you're upset." He sighed. "And then I find you in the arms of the most disgusting creature I've ever known and it's just a giant slap in the face. I know it's not the Crucio but it definitely feels like it."

Finally, Hermione spoke. "Ronald, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean for all of this to happen this way. It was just one minute he was kissing me in the library in front of Ginny, Lav and the Patils because of some stupid conversation and the next you were finally telling me that you wanted to try being more than just friends with me. And I have had the biggest crush on you for the longest time and that made me happy… for a while. And then he corners me one night and tells me his feelings for me, how he has never felt connected to anyone except me and it got me confused but I still chose to ignore it. And then Christmas came and he visited my house and we talked and I started to realize that I do have feelings for him and I just… I didn't know how I would end things with you without having to hurt you."

She sighed. "Ron, I love you. I love you so much but not in the way I hoped so badly I would be. You're a wonderful friend to me and I can truly see that you care for me so much. It's just…" She was starting to tear up now, "I just feel different with Malfoy, believe it or not. I know it makes no sense. It took me so long to accept the things I was feeling but they were there and they felt so real and I just… I was just happy. He's a lot different now and yes, he was everything you said he was but he's changed. The war's changed us, Ron. And he did fight with us towards the end. He's nothing like he used to be – still bloody full of himself sometimes – but a thousand times better than before."

"I know I'm supposed to be the brightest witch of the age. I know I'm thought to be clever and I'm always supposed to know what to do. But Merlin, all this love thing is an entirely new subject that I'm afraid I'll never get to master in." She looked at Ron now who was looking at her with a stoic expression. "I know I cannot reverse anything now. Even if I had the time-turner again, I wouldn't want to go back and not be with him. I very much wish, though, that I wasn't such a coward and told you. I just wish I could have spared you the pain. I swear, Ron, if things between us were going wonderfully and if they were actually going to go somewhere, I never would have even thought twice about Malfoy. Please Ron, I'm so, so sorry. I just can't bloody comprehend why the hell Merlin wanted me to find happiness in Draco Malfoy but sod it all, I do. I am disgustingly happy with him." She said half-laughing and half-crying.

It took Ron almost forever to digest everything she said. Finally, after what seemed like a decade, he asked, "And there is nothing else I can do to convince you otherwise?"

Hermione shrugged, "I'm not really very sure, Ron."

"I don't believe that." And then suddenly, he closed the gap between them, took her face in his hands and kissed her. He kissed her full on the lips. She reluctantly responded and he continued taking the lead. He kissed her… and kissed her… and kissed her… and then stopped.

"Huh." He said as he stepped back and ran a hand through his hair.

She furrowed her brow. "Huh?"

"It's been months since we've done that and I've always pictured it to be magical and really, really good."

"But?" she asked.

"How did you know there was a 'but'?" he asked.

She shrugged, "There's always a 'but' to things like that. What is it?"

"It just…" it was his turn to shrug this time, "…wasn't magical. No offense."

She smiled a bit, "None taken."

Ron sighed again. "I assume it's not like that with the git?"

"Not at all."

"What is it about him, Hermione?" Ron suddenly asked. "What is it that he's got that I don't?"

Hermione paused for a while then smiled. "My heart."

Ron feigned a vomiting sound while he clutched his stomach. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He is still an arrogant git, you know." Ron warned.

"I know."

"There's still a huge chance he might hurt you."

"Better to get hurt than not to have taken the chance at all."

Ron cringed. "Where do you get these quotes, Hermione? Romance novels?"

Hermione slapped his arm. "Most definitely not!"

"He still calls me and Harry 'weasel-bee' and 'the-boy-who-can-finally-live'."

She rolled her eyes, "You still call him 'ferret'."

"I love you, Hermione. I really do. And I still can't stomach the fact that it's Draco bloody Malfoy who you fell in love with." He pretended to vomit again at this. "But you mean the world to me and I won't let this get in the way of our friendship."

She smiled, "Thank you, Ron."

"Can I please just punch him in the gut just one time?"

"No."

"Slap him in the face?"

"No!"

"Let Ginny do a great bat-bogey hex on him?"

"No, Ron."

"Threaten to beat him into a pulp if he ever hurts you?"

"Hmmm… Yeah, you can do that." They both laughed.

"I really am so sorry, Ron. Believe me, I really wanted us to work out."

He closed the gap again and gave him a giant hug. "I know, Hermione. I wish it worked out, too. But I guess it's better this way. I was always afraid that if something went wrong in our relationship, we might end up not friends and confuse Harry as to whose side he should take."

"Definitely mine." She joked, "But yes, I think it's better this way."

He only remained quiet and still held her in a hug.

"Ron?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can you at least try to be nice to Malfoy?" She asked.

"Ugh." Ron groaned.

"I know it's so difficult and that he's still a complete arse sometimes, but can you try to take the high road?"

"Fine. I won't bloody invite him over to Burrow or hang out with him or start braiding his bloody hair but I'll stop calling him a ferret and not engage in physical fights with him."

"Thank you." She hugged him tighter.

"Hah!" Ron suddenly blurted out.

"What?"

"You still have to tell Harry, Ginny and the ENTIRE school!" He said, amused.

"Oh gods, yes."

He saw the fear in her eyes and stopped laughing. "Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be THAT bad. You just have to put some padding when people start to stone you to death."

Her eyes widened even more.

"I'm kidding!" Ron laughed and let her go. He put his arm around her shoulders and said, "You still wanna go to dinner or back to the dorm?"

"Ummm, I think I need to go back to the dorm to plan on how to tell the entire school without risking getting stoned." She said in a small voice.

Ron chuckled, "I'm not even gonna help you with that. It's yours and Malfoy's problem." She froze. "Come on. Let's go back to the dorms."

They slowly walked to the Gryffindor tower in a comforting silence. Hermione was in deep thought – mulling over everything that had happened in this most eventful night. She and Draco were finally together, she and Ron were finally over. She couldn't help but think she lucked out that Ron didn't revert to his stubborn old self and decided to see things in a different light. She knew he and Draco would never be best friends and that they would always be thick-headed when it comes to each other but this was an all-new feat she enjoyed reveling in. She smiled and turned her head to look at Ron – her friend turned lover turned friend. She was sad that it couldn't have been Ron but content in knowing that she would always have him, no matter what.

They were nearing the portrait of the fat lady when she said, "Ron, thank you."

"What for?"

"For being a great friend."

"No problem at all, 'Mione." He smiled. "Of course a bag full of candies and chocolates as thanks is cool too. I'm not always this understanding."

She laughed, "Oh Ron, you never change." She turned to give him a friendly hug and he returned it.

"Hey 'Mione?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's a ferret waiting for you."

"Huh?"

He turned her around and lo and behold, there was Draco Malfoy, standing near the portrait of the Fat Lady looking confused at seeing Hermione and Ron in an intimate hug. His brow was furrowed and he had a small frown on his face.

"Was I interrupting something?" he asked, bitterness laced in his voice.

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked towards him, "No, not at all." She took his hand and dragged him to where Ron was standing. "Be nice." She whispered to Ron.

"Hello weasel—" Hermione elbowed him, "—y. Hello Weasley."

"Malfoy."

Silence. Hermione was rocking on her feet, eagerly anticipating any more interaction between the two.

"So…" Ron started.

"So…" Draco echoed.

"You and Hermione…"

"Me and Hermione…"

"Together…"

"Together…"

"Yeah…"

"Yeah…"

Silence.

"Oh gods, you two! Can't you at least form a decent conversation?" Hermione suddenly squealed. The both looked at her like she needed to be admitted to St. Mungo's for expecting something like that to happen between the two of them. "It's not bloody Ancient Runes." She huffed.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine. Take care of her, git."

"I will, dork."

"I'll pound on you if you don't."

"I'll gladly take that pounding if I end up hurting her."

"I'll gladly pound on you if you do."

Silence.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone now to go do… whatever." Ron said. He gave Hermione a tentative smile and turned to enter the portrait. While he was out of reach someone called out to him.

"Hey Weasley!"

He turned around.

"Thanks." Draco said.

He shrugged, "Don't make me regret not blowing you up."

Draco responded with a curt nod and Ron turned around to shut the portrait. Draco took this opportunity to scoop Hermione into his arms and pin her against the nearest hidden corner.

"Where were we before all the drama began?" he asked, flashing his most handsome smirk.

She wrapped her arms around her neck, "Refresh my memory, why don't you?"

Draco didn't need to be told twice and he quickly claimed her lips as his. Their kiss spoke of so many things – desire, sheer happiness, excitement and just plain longing. At least on Draco's part. He had been waiting for Hermione to be all his for months and months. He had been waiting to be this happy his entire life and he was just damn bloody thrilled and a bit surprised that he found it in Hermione Granger's arms. His ancestors must be rolling in their graves now but he didn't give a care. He was happy and he felt like he FINALLY deserved to be.

When they finally broke free from each other, he breathed out, "Damn it woman, you'll be the death of me."

"I can stop doing that if you want." She joked.

"Don't you dare." He said, kissing her again but this time shorter. "So… You're really and truly mine now?"

She nodded, "Yes, sir."

He beamed, "Bloody brilliant!" He then leaned forward to kiss her again but she stopped him by pushing him away. "What?"

"There's still one more thing we need to do." She said, this time biting her lip in anxiousness.

He furrowed his brow. "What else is there?"

"Tell the entire school."

**A/N: I apologize greatly that it took me forever and a half to update because school started again and I had papers to write and laaaah. Let's just say I wished I was writing this instead of all of that. I do hope you enjoyed it. It also took me a while to figure out exactly how this was going to turn out. I didn't want to make Ron into a complete asshole because I love his character too but to still stay the same Ron we all know and love – goofy and lovable.**

**I do not own Harry Potter. I never will. And I'm sad.**


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